Everything for You
by debbiechan
Summary: As Ishida and Pesh make their way through HM, the concepts of Love and Death catch Ishida unawares. Warnings: manga spoilers from chpts 240 on.and IshiHime romance stuff.


Everything for You

by debbiechan

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. I wish I had an Uryuu and Orihime and even a Pesh of my own, though.

Description: PG. Love and Death. The concepts snatch Ishida unawares while he and Pesh make their way through Las Noches.

Warnings: Manga spoilers for Hueco Mundo rescue arc (chapts. 240 thereabouts and onwards), boyish internal monologues and high romance!

T_he greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. William James_

"Uryuu, what's the matter?"

Ishida turned his head in the direction of the failing reiatsu. Something had sucked the strength out of Sado. All that was left was a barely perceptible throbbing of spirit.

Ishida turned away. He didn't want to hear the soul pour out of his friend's body like blood.

"Uryuu?"

Ishida wondered why Pesh was calling him _Uryuu_ now; had he called him _Ichigo _those times before just to pique him?

"Which one as it?" asked Pesh in a reverent whisper. "Was it Ichigo?

"You felt it too?" Ishida's throat tightened. "It was--it was the big guy. Sado."

"The strongest one!"

That designation irritated Ishida. "No, not the strongest. We are all strong in different ways and…."

The five teammates had sworn to return alive. Will, courage, devotion--weren't these things supposed to be stronger than the enemy?

For the first time since Ishida had stepped into Garganta and into this mission, it occurred to him that the entire rescue team might die.

Each one of them could be knocked down like children by pillows. Crunched like beetles. Ishida imagined a sword pointed at Sado's throat.

D_on't think about it._

Urahara-san had said that once in the palace proper, they might meet beings that could defeat them all several times over. Then why did Urahara-san send them?

They would've found a way to go anyway.

Ishida began to walk again. Earlier, he and Pesh had been running through the corridor, but as the minutes passed, Ishida had slowed their pace to a brisk walk. No use wasting energy with hirenkyaku--the goal wasn't to see who got to Inoue-san first; the goal was to find her and bring her back.

She was safe for now (Ishida tried not to think about her fear and distress) because Aizen needed her for something. He wouldn't kill her…

N_ot yet_.

Ishida's steps were heavier. The five of them had planned to rescue Inoue-san together. This had been a feasible plan. And now they were traveling five separate paths--no, four. Sado was down.

Ishida had known what he and Sado were capable of. They had trained together that short time under Urahara-san. _He went down_. He had an unbelievable new surge of reiatsu and then he went down.

Kurosaki? Did everybody's superstar Shinigami have a new power? Kuchiki-san and Abarai … Ishida believed their showing up in Hueco Mundo to be more of a statement of loyalty than anything else. They weren't here to show off their invincibility. The two Shinigami owed Kurosaki for so much, and Inoue-san was everyone's friend. Were Abarai and Kuchiki stronger too?

D_on't doubt them._

D_on't doubt anyone._

Someone would make it. They couldn't all die--that would mean failing Inoue-san. No. _No. _Kurosaki at least wouldn't die. Inoue-san would be saved.

Ishida's lips tightened as he tried to bat away an embarrassing, random notion: _She wants Kurosaki to be the one to save her._

Pesh was walking beside Ishida. "The big one… he was your good friend?"

"He's not dead yet," Ishida snapped, and Pesh didn't speak again.

Not dead yet. Hope wasn't dead yet. Inoue-san was waiting. Inoue-san wasn't the type of person to lose hope. She wouldn't despair. She had to know, _had to know_ that he would come for her.

He would come for her. She expected Kurosaki of course.

D_on't think about it._

Ishida had defied his father to come here but he would've torn through any other obstacle to rescue her. Inoue-san was the best, kindest, most trusting person in the world and--

D_on't think about it._

His shoulder had stopped bleeding but it burned with pain. Ishida knew he wasn't like Kurosaki. He couldn't bleed and bleed and keep on going. His human body wasn't as strong as Kurosaki's Shinigami spirit.

S_tay positive._

Kurosaki had a brutish, giant reiatsu, but Ishida was the better fighter (of course). A smarter fighter. His strength lay in distancing himself and surprising the enemy, in the spectacular speed of hirenkyaku, in outwitting opponents with a mind as sharp and accurate as a Quincy arrow.

He would definitely reach Inoue-san.

Those horrible, horrible creatures Urahara-san described, the ones Aizen made, they wouldn't have her.

Ishida set his jaw and felt the blood rush to his head.

N_o, stay calm. You can't think if you're angry._

"You look like you're going to kill somebody. Is it Aizen? Is that who you're after?"

Ishida wanted to ignore Pesh but maybe the goofy Hollow could keep his mind from jumping ahead of itself.

"No, not Aizen," Ishida said. "He's out of my league."

"I don't know about that," Pesh said brightly. "You _are_ cute."

"I'm hoping not to run into any more enemies." Ishida, already familiar with Pesh non-sequiturs, didn't address the "cute" remark. "Maybe it's better if this path doesn't head directly to my goal and I can sidestep the drama and surprise whoever's guarding--"

"But the girl!" Pesh flapped his hands. "The girl with the big butt! The one you didn't kill for whatever reason! She's told everyone about you by now--they know you're here."

Ishida narrowed his eyes. "Oh, they've known about us for a while. Five rescuers, five paths? They're watching us, I think."

"How?" Pesh looked up, down, around. "You're very good at hiding your reiatsu. How can they be watching us?"

"I don't know."

It was unlike Ishida to jump into a situation he knew nothing about. In Soul Society, he had at least anticipated Shinigami, zanpakutou, and a regimented supposedly benevolent organization of death gods. He hadn't known his compatriots well yet and wasn't counting on them to aid him, but he had known each and every ability of his sanrei glove.

Here, the unknowns deepened the closer he got to Las Noches. True, the enemy was a blank whiteness at the end of a black tunnel, but to be optimistic, Ishida also didn't know the extent of his own powers yet.

He breathed in. This reishi-rich atmosphere would help him. He still had a few tricks hanging from his belt. Stepped on like a beetle? No way. And even if Ishida's powers were beetle-like against the higher-ranked Arrancar, he'd still find a way to rescue Inoue-san. Bring beetle pinchers against powers like Aizen's and you're likely to be overlooked and discounted. Ishida could steal unnoticed into where Inoue-san was being held, sneak her out while the Arrancar were distracted by some spectacular Kurosaki battle. Yes. That was the best scenario--it would be easier to escape without confrontations and noise, but if he had to fight, he would defeat anything and anyone who stood in his way. He would reach her, save her, promise her that he would never let anything like this happen to her again.

Well, maybe he didn't have to tell her that last part, but Ishida knew he would never be far from Inoue-san again. He would be as aware of her reiatsu as he was of breathing. He would live to protect her--he would--

"You're blushing!"

"Am not." Ishida's face felt even hotter. "I'm ready to fight and getting worked up and--" He touched his cheek. "_Battle-ready_."

Pesh waggled his antennae. "I'll walk behind you so you won't be distracted."

"What?"

"You have a mission to accomplish and watching the rear portion of the one you love--"

"_Will you stop it? _ I am NOT in love with you. I don't know where you got that idea, but will you just be quiet about it?"

"Not in love with me?" Pesh's steps slowed, and he positioned himself behind Ishida. "You remembered my full name when I only said it once, you lied to the big butt girl so she wouldn't attack me, you swept me into your arms and saved my life--"

"STOP IT. Believe what you want, but _stop saying that I'm in love with you_."

Who Ishida was in love with was Inoue Orihime.

He had tried not to be, but that was like asking his hair not to grow--his feelings had evolved so naturally. He tried not to think about her but that was like asking him to take off his glasses. His love for her felt like a part of himself and he would see the world differently without it.

Who wouldn't be in love with Inoue Orihime?

Further proof that Kurosaki was an idiot. She looked at Kurosaki as if the sun rose in his eyes, and he was clueless.

"You know," Pesh said from behind Ishida, "I don't remember why I'm here."

"You said you were following Nell."

"Yes! I have to find her--and now I have _you _to look after, of course."

Ishida sighed. He had to find someone too and now he had the added burden of looking out for Pesh.

He would manage somehow. He was a Quincy.

From the moment Ishida had first taken up the Quincy bow, he'd had visions of glory. Of proving his talents and eminence to the world. Of outshining Shinigami and destroying Hollow after Hollow. Glory… where was glory here? Here, in this strange world, Ishida had already felt doubt, he was hoping that his Shinigami teammates were stronger that himself (if that's what it took to rescue her) and a Hollow was watching his back.

G_lory_.

The promise of it had sustained him through worse times.

If a warrior's heart was pure and his motives were noble and his courage unquestioned, then he would win and live in legend … right?

The truth was that Ishida could die here, in a darkness far from the world of the Living, and the world would remember a foolish boy who set upon a suicide mission.

B_ut my heart is pure, my motives are noble, and I am not afraid_. _If I die, If I die…._

What else would he have lived for except loving her?

Ishida felt his heart rise to his throat. He would rescue Inoue-san or fall trying. A soldier dressed in white and decorated with blood instead of medals. A virgin knight, one who had never kissed a girl but had loved with the most self-sacrificing love. A hero whose death would not be tragic but triumphant!

Ishida breathed out. It was no use. He didn't want to die. His visions of glorious sacrifice dissolved. He couldn't hold onto childish projections of hero-hood anymore. This mission was too serious.

I _want…_ The vessels on his belt slapped his thigh as he walked faster.

A_ll I want…. _ A draft blew his hair across his face.

I _want her to be safe. _

But that wasn't all.

He wanted her wonderful softness in his arms and his arms alone. Her gracious voice had made him smile in Soul Society even when he was trying not to smile, and he wanted to hear that voice say, "thank you, Ishida-kun."

This time he wouldn't stammer and look away. This time he would squeeze her shoulders, kiss her hair and _not _say, "it's nothing."

Because it's everything.

E_verything for you, Inoue Orihime._

E_ND_


End file.
